Big Mountain

Much like UB40, American reggae band Big Mountain brought a very commercialized version of Jamaican music to the American mainstream when their cover of Peter Frampton's "Baby, I Love Your Way" reached the Top Ten in early 1994. To the band's credit, though, its three albums contain reggae roots music combined with only several R&B-ish covers, and the lineup includes two Jamaicans with excellent credentials: rhythm guitarist Tony Chin and drummer Santa Davis -- both of whom played with Peter Tosh's band and the Soul Syndicate.

Big Mountain were originally formed in San Diego as the Rainbow Warriors. After several years of dizzying lineup changes and two name changes -- first to Shiloh and finally to Big Mountain -- the group settled around vocalist/guitarist Quino, with rhythm guitarist Jerome Cruz, drummers Gregory Blakney and Lance Rhodes, keyboard player Manfred Reinke, and bassist Lynn Copeland. That lineup released Wake Up on the Quality label in 1992 and charted "Touch My Light" early the following year. The single reached number 51 in America, but only one year later Big Mountain began to experiment with several different guitarists. After several changes, Tony Chin became available and joined Quino and Copeland with new additions Santa Davis, James McWhinney (percussion), and keyboard players Billy Stoll and Michael Hyde. During sessions for their second album, movie producer Ron Fair approached Big Mountain about recording a cover of "Baby, I Love Your Way" for his upcoming movie Reality Bites. Included on the soundtrack and the group's 1994 Unity album, the single reached number six in the U.S. and became a worldwide hit.

Despite Big Mountain's success on the commercial pop charts, most of the reggae community remained faithful to the band; the group headlined two consecutive Reggae Sunsplash festivals in Jamaica during massive world tours that crisscrossed Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Indonesia. Third album Resistance was released in 1995, followed two years later by Free Up. ~ John Bush, Rovi

Love you Big Mountain. They played for my brothers wedding over ten years ago and my family was amazed and taken by surprise. Quino is so down to earth, he is like family to us. So honored to know him !! Love you Quino, G

You will be kissed on the nearest possible Friday by the love of your life. Tomorrow u will have the best day of ur life. However if you don't past this on u will die in 2 days. Now that u have read dont stop. This is so scary put it on 5 songs in 143 mins when done press f6 and ur lover name will come on the screen in big letters this is so scary it actually works

Quino and his band recently played a show on a boat in the San Diego bay. I had no idea who they were until the stage was unPluged and being packed. I'll never forget how encouraging and warm hearted he was. He heard me singing under my breath and shined the limelight on me as well as shared the stage for the rest of the night! I'm not going to break the promise he asked of me.... ill never stop singing ever. He said I have a gift and if I love it then I can't let anyone tell me otherwise. Perf

I love Big Mountain, I went to a few trainings for work in San Diego and got the pleasure of listening to them at a club. I requested this song and sure enough -they sang it; oh--Caribbean Blue-awesome song-BIG MOUNTAIN They are great!!